The Bardiani-CSF cycling team has hit out at the unfairness of International Cycling Union (UCI) rules that allow the suspension of a team if two or more riders report an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) in a 12-month period. The UCI announced that the team had been suspended for 30 days until 14 July, which rules it and its riders out of the Tour de France, which begins on 1 July.

‘The Team states also its decision to not appeal to the CAS but, with the utmost respect and trust in the competent authorities, wants anyway to express its dissatisfaction for the duration of the suspension and, in general, for a rule that exceedingly penalizes those who have no responsibilities, such as the Team and other riders, in front of deplorable actions of foolish people’, read a statement. The team began legal proceedings against Stefano Pirazzi and Nicola Ruffoni, after both returned an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRPs) on 25 and 26 April in out of competition tests.